When winter starts to wear us down, our thoughts turn to Almería. With more than 320 days of sunshine a year, it is a tempting destination for anyone looking to escape the cold. Alongside its wonderful weather, you will find a relaxed pace of life, cuisine inspired by the sea and the region’s fertile farmland, a desert that has served as a film location, and beautiful natural landscapes dotted with charming villages. We explore the province from the perfect base: the Sercotel Avenida Almería hotel, in the city of Almería.

Half a century before the creators of Game of Thrones set their sights on some of Spain’s most spectacular landscapes as backdrops for the series, director Sergio Leone, famous for films such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, had already travelled to Spain to shoot some of his best-known spaghetti westerns. His destination was the Tabernas Desert.

Yes, there really is a desert just 30 kilometres from the city of Almería, with gullies, dry riverbeds and seemingly endless arid landscapes. It is easy to see why Leone was won over. Nature had already provided the perfect setting. All that was needed was a Wild West town, now known as Oasys MiniHollywood. You can visit it and see the original sets from these legendary productions, step inside a saloon, visit the sheriff’s office and even have your photograph taken dressed as a Native American or cowboy.

Others followed. Fort Bravo Texas Hollywood, which is still used as a filming location, features two different settings: a Mexican village and a Wild West town, complete with gallows, prison and hotel. The last to open was Western Leone, built for the film Once Upon a Time in the West.

This may all sound like a distant memory, but the Tabernas Desert continued — and still continues — to be used as a filming location for productions including Lawrence of Arabia, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and, of course, Game of Thrones.

When Indiana Jones had had enough of the desert, he headed to the coast. And being no fool, he knew he would struggle to find anywhere better than the waters of Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park. So off he went, to Mónsul Beach and other locations within the park. The scenery here is shaped by a crystal-clear Mediterranean Sea and the black and reddish hues of ancient lava flows. Its ecological value is so significant that it has also been declared a Biosphere Reserve.

In this corner of the Iberian Peninsula, urban beaches, sheltered little coves and wild cliffs sit side by side. Although it is always tempting to stay by the water, we recommend heading out to explore. You can drive through the park, stopping in charming villages such as Carboneras, discover fishing neighbourhoods such as La Isleta del Moro, or follow one of the many routes that criss-cross the area, whether on foot, by bike or on horseback.

No, La Alpujarra does not belong solely to Granada. This natural region also stretches into Almería and offers everything you would expect from it: picturesque whitewashed villages with narrow streets, scattered among valleys and mountains. From the city of Almería, it takes around an hour by car to reach its winding roads.

Follow them to towns such as Laujar de Andarax, considered the capital of the Alpujarra Almeriense, where the Church of the Incarnation is known as the Cathedral of the region. It is well worth continuing to Ohanes, whose hillsides are covered with terraced vineyards, or to Almócita, where the traditional whitewashed walls occasionally give way to an impressive display of street art. As if its natural beauty were not already enough.

You may never tire of exploring this region, but you will certainly need somewhere to recharge your batteries. When you do, return to our hotel in the city of Almería: Sercotel Avenida Almería. There is no need to worry about parking, as we have covered parking. And if you are travelling with the whole family, we offer family rooms and are a pet-friendly hotel, so everyone is welcome. Alongside the peace and comfort of our rooms, you can recharge with the delicious dining options available in our restaurant. And let’s not forget the jewel in our crown: a buffet breakfast that lets you start the day in style.